


the bakeneko brothers

by polyplants



Category: Big Hero 6, bh6
Genre: Gen, I hope to polish it up and finish it :D, I wrote this years ago, and im just now posting it here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:35:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24317428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polyplants/pseuds/polyplants
Summary: in this darker au, hiro and tadashi hamada are tough street kids. after an unfortunate run in with the police, hiro is gravely injured, and tadashi must face the fact that this lifestyle is not the best for his younger brother.
Relationships: Brotherly, platonic - Relationship
Kudos: 12





	1. chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [big hero 6](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/623593) by Don Hall & Chris Williams. 



> mild graphic description of blood and injuries

A pair of troublemakers. That was the last thing I needed right now. I already had enough on my plate trying to keep up with all of the illegal bot fights going on. I shuffled through the reports. A few pictures were provided, held together by a paper clip.

"Let's see what we're dealing with.' I thought as I took off the paper clip holding the photos together.

The taller one had neat black hair and wore a smirk. The smaller one was significantly shorter. His messy mop of black hair fell over his mask. He wore the same expression as the older one, although his smirk was more prominent. Both wore a kabuki mask over their eyes with cat ears adourning the top. Accompanied with the mischievous smirks, it gave the pair the look of troublesome alley cats. Both, especially the younger one, appeared to be taunting the photographer.

My eyes skimmed over the report. Apparently the pair were known as the Bakeneko brothers. On low profile days, they simply pick-pocketed. At night they used quick martial arts to mug victims. Both appeared to be experienced with a mix of kick-boxing and karate. The most the two had done were rob small convenience stores. Stolen goods usually included solely money, but sometimes food was stolen as well. It looked like these two simply stole to survive.

I turned the page to look at the second report. Locals claimed they were feared by nearby gangs. They had been reported to raid gang hideouts. With quick footwork, they could take on a group of ten. The Bakeneko brothers were also known to jump gangs to collect their spoils.

In short, these two were not to be underestimated. I shuffled the pages back into a neat pile before placing them back inside of their manilla coloured folder. Just as I was beginning to pack up for the night, the phone rang. I picked it up and held it to my ear.

"Officer Jones, San Fransokyo Police Department."

"Officer Jones, I need you down here. Get here as fast as you can, but don't turn on your siren." I heard the voice of my coworker, Rick.

"Alright." I simply replied before setting down the receiver.

.

I arrived shortly near the designated alleyway.

"I got them, the Bakeneko brothers! An anonymous tipper told me they had headed down this alleyway. They should be here any moment now." Rick informed me in a hushed whispering voice. I only nodded in acknowledgement, We heard a pair of soft footsteps echo around us. They grew steadily louder as the Bakeneko brothers approached. I readied my gun in case it was needed. Rick turned on a bright light to reveal the two.

"Put your hands up!" Rick shouted. The boys did not put their hands up, and they continued walking towards us. There was no trace of the taunting smirks I had seen on their faces earlier. They meant business.

"I will shoot if you try anything!" Rick threatened. The younger one looked up at the older one. The elder one rapidly pressed three fingers into the boy's arm before flipping his hand over to press four fingers in the same spot. He looked back at us before nodding.He reached into his pocket and flung what appeared to be pebbles at the ground in front of us. They weren't pebbles, but flash sparks.

Flash sparks were originally manufactured as joke materials, but were quickly proclaimed illegal after criminals figured out they could be used to temporarily blind victims. Flash sparks are still widely available on the black market.

When the flash sparks made contact with the ground, they produced a bright flash, and a loud disorientating bang. I felt my gun get knocked out of my hands as I was kicked to the ground. I heard Rick make contact with the ground beside me. The sound of the brothers running away snapped me out of my daze. I guess Rick's gun hadn't been kicked as far away as mine because I heard him fire it. A cry was audible, echoing off the grimy damp walls. I looked up to see the younger one bent over in pain. The older one stopped and bent beside his brother to check up on him. Even though his eyes were covered by a mask, I could tell he was infuriated. He stood to his feet in a menacing manner. I already felt intimated and began scrambling for my gun. I spotted it a few feet away, but it would be too late by the time I got my hands on it.

"Rick!" I shouted as he began to run towards us in a zig-zag pattern. Rick made a feeble attempt to shoot him. Rick's gun was knocked from his hands, and the older Bakeneko brother picked it up. He pointed it at us. I knew this kid would never shoot us under normal circumstances, but right now he was furious and may shoot on impulse. Rick raised his hands, and the boy pointed the gun at me. I raised my own hands to show that I was no threat. He backed away from us and helped his brother onto his back. By now the younger one had lost a lot of blood and appeared barely concious. The older one kept Rick's gun pointed at us until he was well out of shooting range. He let the gun clatter to the gun before taking off. Rick stood shakily to his feet and helped me up.

"We had them cornered, but we still couldn't catch them..." Rick muttered disappointedly. I nodded as I bent over to pick up my own gun. I wiped off the water on my uniform while in deep thought. Apprehending the Bakeneko brothers was going to be tricky.


	2. chapter 2

I ran, weaving my way through the intricate maze of alleyways. I slipped through the boards of the quarantined building. I set Hiro down and he groaned in pain. I took off his blood-soaked sweatshirt and lifted up his shirt. I peeled the shirt off his body and ripped off a a piece that wasn't soaked with blood and pressed it against his wound. I knew my little brother needed proper medical attention, but I couldn't possibly take him to a hospital. A bullet wound would raise suspicioun, and the police wpoould be notified. I needed a good story, but my mind was empty and groggy from the recent events. Hiro got shot. That was a big deal. I could feel the gears working overtime in my mind.

"I'm gonna get something to eat, ok? Don't get up." I told Hiro, pressing the back of my hand against his forehead. He was a little warm.

"Ok. Be careful." Hiro gave me a crooked smile even though I could tell he was in a lot of pain. I changed into something less suspicious looking, and took some money with me. I didn't want any more trouble after what had happened tonight.

.

Tadashi paid for the first aid kit and rubboning alcohol along with some milk and sandwiches. He made sure to get Hiro chocolate milk instead of white since he liked it better. For a treat, Tadashi grabbed Hiro's favourite: gummy bears. He kindly thanked the young girl at the cashier with a friendly smile. Tadashi was truly grateful this store was open so late and made a mental note not to rob it.

.

Tadashi pushed aside the boards of the delapitated building and climbed inside.

"Hey bonehead." Tadashi smiled as he set down the plastic bags beside Hiro as he kneeled beside him to check his temperature. It was still a little warm.

"Hey Tadashi." Hiro gave a half smile.

"How're you feelin bud?" Tadashi asked as he pulled out the first aid kit he had purchased earlier.

"Like a million bucks." Hiro raised his arms. Tadashi smiled.

"This is gonna sting, ok?" Tadashi told Hiro as he dabbed rubbing alcohol on a clean rag. Hiro bit his lip and nodded. Tadashi leaned forward and pressed the rag to Hiro's wound. Hiro inhaled sharply and squeezed his eyes shut. His breath came out in shuddering gasps and the young boy kept an iron grip Tadashi's shirt.

"Älright." Tadashi said no one in particular when he finished. He helped Hiro up into a sitting position so that he could wrap bandages around his stomach. Tadashi handed him a clean sweater. Hiro pulled his sweater over his head, sending his already messy hair into even more sprawling directions. Tadashi handed him a sandwich before taking a bite of his own. He chewed thoughtfully as Hiro took a sip of his chocolate milk.

"We'll lay low for a while. I'm taking you straight to the hsopital tomorrow morning." Tadashi explained before washing down his sandwich with a gulp of milk.

"Ökay." Hiro mumbled with a full mouth. The little guy was tough. He would make it. Even though Tadashi had said they had to lay low for a while, he was already itching to get back outside. Tadashi finished his sandwich just as Hiro began to dig into his gummy bears. Under normal circumstances, Tadashi would just take a walk to burn off his extra energy. But he didn't think that was the greatest idea at the moment. Instead he rose to his feet and practised his kicks. He reminisced the past, when he and Hiro were still in karate class. Life was still rough back then, but they had a permanent roof over their head. When Tadashi found out the government was going to send Hiro away to a different family, he took him and booked it. Ever since then, they've been roughing it on the streets. It was hard at first, but once Tadashi figured out how to steal, life became a great deal easier. After a few minutes of intense training, Tadashi collapsed beside his brother whom had fallen asleep already. Tadashi stared at the ceiling. Water had seeped through, leaving tea-coloured stains behind. He wriggled into his sleeping bag and closed his eyes, much more tired than he had been a few minutes ago.


	3. chapter 3

I squinted at the light filtering through the rotting wooden boards. I turned over to see Hiro. He was still asleep, but he didn't look so great. His forehead was hot to the touch, and beads of sweat had already formed on his skin. A fever was the last thing I needed right now. I poured some water onto a rag and pressed it to his forehead. He stirred at the contact, his eyes fluttering open.

"Tadashi?" He rasped, coughing.

"Hey buddy, how you feelin'?" I asked.

"I'm on top of the world bro." Hiro croaked, showing off a crooked half-smile.

"C'mon, I gotta get you to the hospital." Hiro grunted as he sat up. I lifted up his shirt to check out how his wound was doing. I winced at the sight. It looked infected. The skin surrounding the injury was a fiery red colour, and it looked painful. I let his shirt fall back down as I helped Hiro onto my back. The morning air was crisp and cool. Our breath came out in puffs of vapour as I walked. I avoided the main streets and took mostly to alleys and quiet streets with barely any traffic. It took a little while longer, but we needed to lay low, especially when in such a vulnerable state.

A/N: I know that in real life hospitals, there's a lot more information needed to be exchanged to get checked in at a hospital, but it's a fic. Just note that it is DEFINITELY not this easy to get into a hospital on such little information. I am not a medical expert either!! I don't know proper medical procedures or the treatment of a bullet wound. Keep this in mind while reading please.

"Put on your hood." I whispered to Hiro. He didn't say anything back, but I felt one of his hands leave my neck for a moment. I pulled on my own hood. Hopefully there wouldn't be much of a wait. I knew that was unlikely, but I could hope. I wanted to stop here and leave as soon as possible. It made me skittish to be in such a public place without my mask.

"What are your names?" The secretary asked us, eyeing us suspiciously. She had a cranky edge to her voice, and looked as though she loathed children. Perhaps that wasn't the case. Maybe she had just had a long day, or forgotten her lunch.

"Daniel. Daniel Callakan. This is my brother Ryan."

"I didn't know Callaghan had any sons, or children this young." She stared daggers at us through narrowed eyes.

"No no, it's Callakan, not Callaghan. Don't worry, it's a common mistake." The lies slid off my tongue so easily.

"Well Daniel, you can sit over there with your brother. I'll let you know when Doctor Bradinsky can see you." She gestured to the seat in the lobby. I nodded and let Hiro slide off my back onto a chair. We were lucky and only had to wait twenty minutes before the secretary notified us that the doctor could see us. Hiro jumped onto my back and we entered the emergency room.

"Hello boys! What appears to be the trouble?" A man greeted us with a booming deep voice, and jovial spirit. He was a bit on the heavy side, and his face was round and jolly. I let Hiro slide off my back. He clung to my arm and hid behind me.

"My little brother has been complaining of stomach pain."

"Oh? And what's your name?" Dr Bradinsky bent down to Hiro's height.

"Ryan." Hiro mumbled, looking at his shoes.

"Aw, don't be shy! My name is Doctor Bradinsky, but you can call me Dr. B. if you like. Here, why don't you take a seat over there?" Dr. Bradinsky pointed to a nearby bed. Hiro hopped onto the edge and scooted farther back to get more comfortable. I leaned against the wall and watched Doctor Bradinsky hustle around the room. He returned with a clipboard and a stethoscope.

"Alright, where does it hurt the most?" Dr. B. asked.

"Here." Hiro touched where the bullet had pierced him.

"Mmhmm... I'm going to take your temperature now." Dr. B. said as he scrawled some notes down. Hiro opened his mouth as Dr. B. placed the thermometre under his tongue. He babbled on. His voice faded into a drone as my eyes wandered around the room. My eyes fell on a window above the hospital bed. It qualified as satisfactory for a last resort escape route. My attention was brought back to Hiro when the thermometre beeped.

"Your temperature is a bit above average, but it doesn't look like anything to be concerned about." Dr. B. leaned back from the thermometre.

"Dr. B.? Could you just take a look at my stomach? It still really hurts." Hiro asked in a voice very childish for a juvenile delinquent.

"Of course! Anything to make you feel better." Dr. Bradinsky flashed a smile as he lifted up Hiro's shirt. His expression instantly changed from friendly to horrified while his free hand flew to his mouth.

"Oh my.... This is... This is a bullet wound. How did you come to acquire this injury?" He looked up at Hiro with serious eyes creased with worried wrinkles.

"I-I... It was an accident! I didn't mean to!" Hiro wailed as he hid his head in his hands.

"Don't cry Ryan, we can fix this up right away!" Dr. Bradinsky assured Hiro, clearly not used to dealing with this. Hiro looked up and sniffed before nodding. Tadashi had to hand it to his little brother, he was quite a convincing actor.

"Anna!" Come here please." A nurse with wavy black hair arrived beside Doctor B. one moment later. Her hair was glossy and could pass as very dark brown, by at first glance appeared black. Her hair was tied back with a bright red bow. Anna's skin was a light shade of chocolate, contrasting against Dr. Bradinsky's milky skin.

"We're going to have to remove this bullet right now. It's a quick operation, and the procedure should be completed within half an hour or more. Doctor Bradinsky informed her. She nodded before smiling at Hiro.

"Come on dear, after this your stomach will hurt a lot less. We're going to help you get better." Hiro nodded and followed Anna into the operating room. Doctor Bradinsky turned to face Tadashi.

"How on earth did that boy get his hands on a gun?" Doctor B. questioned me in a slightly aggravated tone.

"It must've been my dad's. He's a police officer and my little brother admires him profoundly." I was a good liar, and made sure to keep my hands at my side with my eyes locked on his. Nothing deterred me when it came to little brother.

"I see. Make sure it doesn't happen again." Doctor Bradinsky answered skeptically. I wasn't sure if he had believed my lie, or suspected something.

"Absolutely." I nodded reassuringly. Dr. B. walked with a quick pace unto the operating room, shutting the door behind him.

...

The operation lasted a little over half an hour. I flipped through magazines and medical pamphlets but passed most of my time counting the ceiling tiles. The sound of the door opening caught my attention.

"We'd like to keep him until the anesthesia wears off." Dr. Bradinsky told me. I nodded.

"Can I see him?" I asked.

"He isn't quite awake yet, but feel free to accompany him until he does."

"Alright." I hastily pushed open the door. Hiro had some fresh bandages wrapped around his torso.

"Hey buddy." I said as I sat down beside him, ruffling his hair in the process.

"Hnghh? Tadashi? Where am I?" Hiro opened his eyes before yawning. He rubbed one of his eyes sleepily.

"We're at the hospital bud." Normally Hiro would have flipped out because the hospital is such a public place, but this time he made no sign of panic.

"Wha..? Why?"

"You got a little hurt."

"Oh." Hiro said softly, dragging his fingers through his hair.

"Is officer Callakan on duty?" Dr. Bradinsky asked while fiddling with the swirly phone cord.

"I believe you have the wrong number. Mr. Callaghan's profession is not a police officer, he's a scientist."

"Offier Callakan, not Callaghan." Dr. Bradinsky replied in an annoyed tone.

"Callakan? We don't have an officer named Callakan here. I can check our database for you if you hold for a moment." Dr. B. heard a click as the secretary put him on hold. A few moments later he heard the line pick up again.

"Yes I can definitely say we have never had an officer Callakan here."

"Oh. Alright, thank you for your time." Dr Bradinsky hung up.

...

It had only been a few minutes before Dr. Bradinsky returned.

"So I called the police station to inform your father of the recent events but he doesn't appear to work there." Dr. Bradinsky's voice was lined with ice. There was no trace of that jolly man who could be compared Santa Claus.

"He's new. We just transferred here from New Paris." I put on an innocent look while trying to direct my body language towards confusion.

"Alright, I'll double check." Dr. Bradinsky replied skeptically before turning to leave.

"Ok Hiro, time to go." I bent over so he could jump on my back.

"But Tadashi, my stomach hurts." He whined as he clambered on with slippery motions.

"Yeah, it's going to hurt for a while buddy." I said as I high-tailed it to the door. I skidded to a halt when I realized they weren't opening. We were in trouble.

"Put on your mask!" I hissed. Hiro mumbled some incoherent nonsense before letting his head droop onto my shoulder. I was fine with that. The kid was on some drugs. As long as he kept his face there, they wouldn't get a good look at him. I fished my own mask out of my pocket and fumbled, trying to put it on. My mask was as hard to put on with one hand as it looked.

"So I hear you're the infamous Bakeneko Brothers, huh?" I heard Dr. Bradinsky's voice. I didn't wait any longer before making a dash back into the emergency room. I set Hiro down on a bed and grabbed a chair. I swung it over my head with my back facing the window.

When you break a window, you have to make sure not to be facing it because you know, the flying glass shards.

The window cracked so I struck it again, this time shattering it. I heaved Hiro out the window before climbing out after him. Other than a tear in his hoodie, he looked fine.

"C'mon, let's go!" I didn't wait for Hiro to respond because he looked to be out cold. I just picked him up and took off into the nearest alley, where I knew how to disappear. By the time the police came anywhere near the hospital, we'd be long gone.


	4. chapter 4

I arrived at the hospital. After some brief introductions, I began questioning.

"So, Dr. Bradinsky, tell me everything you know." I asked the doctor, tapping my pen on my notebook.

"They looked like they were of Japanese decent. The older one had neat black hair and dark brown eyes. The younger one had messy black and the same eye colour. The older one said his name was Daniel and introduced his younger brother as Ryan. Said their last name was Callakan."

"Callakan, huh? Anything else on their appearance?" I asked, thinking it odd the older one would choose a name so close to Callaghan. It was a possible clue that now tied the professor in with their affairs.

"Younger one was scrawny, five feet tall, with a bullet wound. Older one was tall, lanky, but with a sturdy build." He explained. I hummed and took notes.

"What was their explanation for the bullet bound?" I asked.

"Daniel was complaining of stomach pains so Daniel brought Ryan here. Daniel later confessed he had accidentally shot himself with his father's pistol."

"Mm-hmm. What actually happened was my coworker shot 'Ryan'." I paused before saying the younger one's name. It was likely fake, along with everything else in their story.

"Thank you Dr. Bradinsky." I shook his warm hand before taking my leave.

"Wait Officer! A piece of clothing was caught on the window they climbed out of." Dr. B. shouted after me. I stopped and pursed my lips together before turning around. I pulled out a pair of gloves out of my pocket. The torn clothing was light grey, and stained with mud. It appeared thin, and worn out. It wasn't a wonder that the threadbare piece of fabric had torn. I took the piece of clothing and sealed it in a plastic bag.

"Anything else?" I asked.

"One more thing. The older brother referred to the younger one as Hiro."

"Thank you for your time and assistance." I said as I threw my plastic gloves away in the trash. This trip proved not to be a complete waste of time after all. The name Hiro Callaghan echoed in my mind.

...

We have to leave. Now. We're only staying one night in each spot before moving until we know for sure the police aren't on our case anymore." Tadashi explained. Hiro groaned as he packed up his belongings. Tadashi felt a stab of guilt. His little brother had grown up jumping from place to place, never long enough to call anywhere home. There were places they stayed more often than others, but they lacked the welcoming atmosphere. Tadashi considered the idea of settling down. Getting an actual job. Living an honest life. Hiro making friends, not worrying where their next meal was coming from. It felt distant, yet close enough to reach for. Tadashi realized the idea of leaving this lifestyle was sounding better and better with each new thought.

"When are we leaving?" Hiro asked, snapping his older brother out of his thoughts.

"We should leave immediately, but it would be safer and we would be less likely to be spotted if we left at night." Tadashi weighed out the pros and cons of each choice. If they left now, they may be spotted. If they waited until night, there was a high chance of the police tracking them down with Hiro's ripped sweatshirt before they could even get to leaving. They'd have to risk travelling during the day. Hiro looked up at his brother, expectantly awaiting his verdict.

"We're leaving right now. If we wait until night, the police will have tracked us down by then."

"Great! There's no way I could handle sitting around all day." Hiro responded cheerfully. Tadashi grinned and messed up his little brother's hair. They may be thugs for a living, but deep down they were still kids.

...

I entered in 'Hiro Callaghan' in our database. A document came up.

HIRO HAMADA, MISSING. PARENTS DECEASED. OLDER BROTHER, TADASHI HAMADA. PLACED IN FOSTER CARE. LAST SEEN UNDER THE CARE OF ROBERT CALLAGHAN AT THE AGES OF SIXTEEN AND NINE. WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN. PRESUMED DECEASED.

It was time to have a little chat with Professor Callaghan.


	5. chapter 5

(Minor gore warning to do with an infected wound. Nothing serious, just a heads up)

I rapped my knuckles on the door of the Callaghan residence. Professor Callaghan opened the door with a surprised look on his face.

"Hello Professor Callaghan. I'm here to inquire you about the two boys you took into care. They went by the names Hiro and Tadashi."

"Hiro and Tadashi?" Callaghan echoed. I nodded seriously.

"Will you be here long?" He asked.

"No." I replied. He motioned for me to come inside. I stepped in.

"I apologize for the lack of refreshments, I was not aware of your coming."

"It's fine professor." I assured him.

"Have a seat, please." I sat down.

"What were Hiro and Tadashi like?" I asked.

"Oh, both were very gifted. Tadashi was a lot more well-behaved. Hiro was a trouble-maker, although he excelled in his schoolwork. He passed quickly through the grades. But he was so troublesome. I wished to take Tadashi as my apprentice when he became older and mentor him at the college. But Hiro was a distraction. I wanted to send him away. Thankfully a school for the gifted was willing to take him off my hands. But before I could communicate any further, they disappeared!" Callaghan explained. I scribbled notes down.

"How much had Hiro and Tadashi progressed in their studies?"

"Hiro was in seventh grade, and Tadashi was in the twelfth. Tadashi had enough credits to graduate. He disappeared before he could though."

"How old were they when they disappeared?" I asked.

"Hiro was nine and Tadashi was sixteen."

"What subjects were they the best in?" I asked.

"Both brothers excelled in robotics."

"Did they do any activities out of school?"

"Yes, kickboxing." Callaghan replied.

"Alright, that's all. Thank you for your time professor." I stood to my feet and shook his hand.

"Any time officer." Callaghan dismissed me.

This new information helped the case of the Bakeneko brothers profoundly. I pieced the information together. Tadashi found out about his foster father's plans to send Hiro away. Tadashi ran away with Hiro and has been missing ever since. Both had become thieves to survive. Their background with kickboxing was part of the reason why they were undefeated. My suspicions about their motives were true.

.

Tadashi was unfamiliar with this part of San Fransokyo. He was lost and tired. Hiro had alsready fell asleep on his back. The drugs seemed to have worn off by now. They just needed a half decent place to crash. He wandered down an alley despite the danger of getting jumped. Tadashi didn't bother looking for an entrance. He just kicked down the door and began setting up the sleeping bags. He tucked Hiro in before climbing into his own sleeping bag. Tadashi spread their blanket iver the both of them. Usually Tadsahi was out like a light as soon as his head hit the pillow. It was strange considering how tired he was that he wasn't asleep yet. Tonight he lay half-asleep, thinking. How long would they be on the run? How could they possibly settle down with the police on their trail? Tadashi rolled onto his side and shut his eyes. These were questions were for another time. He let sleep crash over him, satisfied that he and his little borother were safe for another night here. At least for now.

.

I woke up before Hiro. He didn't look so hot. I felt his forehead. He mumbled in his sleep. It felt hot to the touch. Great. A fever was the absolute last thing we needed.

"Hiro? How you feelin' buddy?" I rummaged through our first aid kit in search of something to help with his fever.

"Nngh... Huh? Oh... Not so hot. Actually I'm kinda cold. Is there a draft in here?" Hiro croaked.

"You're burning up buddy. There is a draft but it isn't that cold." I pulled out a bottle of pills and squinted at the writing. Two was all Hiro appeared to need. I glanced at the warning; 'Do not swallow dry'. I searched through our supplies for a water bottle. I dropped the pills into Hiro's palm and handed him a water bottle.

"Swallow these, okay? I'm going out to pick some food and supplies. Drink what's there and don't get up. I'll be back soon." I wiped the sweat off his forehead. He shut his eyes and nodded. I stood up and turned away, hoping he could pull through this. 

.

I returned with more water and food but Hiro looked no better.

"Tadashi? My stomach hurts." Hiro complained.

'Crap!' Alarm bells were going off in my head. I had forgotten about his bullet-wound. It needed cleaning. I felt a stab of guilt over my neglected responsibility.

"Oh man, sorry. I totally forgot." I admitted.

"S'okay." Hiro grinned. I lifted his shirt, but resorted to taking it off because it kept falling back in the way. I removed the bandages and felt a shiver run down my spine at the sight. The skin around the wound was a fiery red. The wound itself was raw and hadn't scabbed over entirely yet. It looked infected, which was even worse than a fever. I pours rubbing alcohol over a rag and dabbed at the affected area. Hiro hissed and scrunched up his face in pain.

"Sorry." I mumbled. I wrapped fresh bandages around Hiro's belly. Hiro's breathing was shaky. His hands were balled into fists, clutching his sleeping bag tautly.

"Did you get any sleep while I was gone?" I asked.

"No." Hiro mumbled, his eyes downcast to conceal his guilt. I ruffled his already messy hair to reassure him it was alright.

"Could you tell me a story?" Hiro asked. I stiffened at the request. I hadn't heard it in years. I ran my hand through Hiro's hair.

"Sure buddy. Let's see... Once there was a girl. She was a princess, but loathed it. She had no time for suitors, studies, or the duties a princess must attend to. She wanted to ride her horse, and shoot her bow. She wanted to be free. But her mother insisted she married and acted more princess-like. The girl was very angry with her mother, and sought to have her own way. She ended up accidentally cursing her mother into transforming into a bear. They sorted their differences, but her mother was begin in to succumb to the curse. The princess needed to break the curse before it was too late. With the help of her three little mischievous brothers, they restored their mother back to her human form. Her mother decided everyone could marry whoever they pleased. They lived happily ever after." Hiro's eyes were shut and his chest rose and fell steadily. I tenderly brushed his bangs out of his face. My smile faded. Hiro deserved better. After this run-in with the police had subsided, I could settle down and raise Hiro properly with integrity. But would Hiro want that? We both enjoyed fighting very much. It contained a thrill which was lost in our own play fights when it lacked the threat. Stealing contained a unique spark I was sure I would miss too. I sighed and pondered these ideas. When Hiro recovered, I could pitch these ideas to him. I sat sat against the wall an stared attention ceiling, waiting for the day to ebb away while Hiro slept. 

.

I rolled onto my other side to face Hiro. His cheeks were flushed a rosy pink, but his temperature felt to ave dropped by at least a few degrees. I decided to let him sleep in. He needed all the rest he could get.

I groaned at the ache on my neck. I had fallen asleep against the wall without realizing it. My limbs were stuff from the damp cold of last night. I stood up and stretched. The cold stone ground sent shivers through my body as I stepped across it barefoot. Judging by how light it was outside, it was around eleven am. I groaned softly, running my hands over my head. I interlocked my fingers over the top of my head with gritted teeth. We needed to get a move on soon. We had lost a day due to Hiro's fever. I didn't want to wake up Hiro, but we really needed to get moving. I packed up my stuff before lightly shaking Hiro awake.

Hey, how you feelin' bud?" I asked. Hiro sat up slowly.

"A lot better." Hiro yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Could you help me pack up your stuff? It's fine if you're too tired, I just need you to at least move out of the way."

"I can help." Hiro stood shakily, gripping me for support. I grinned an lifted Hiro up and sat him down against the wall.

"I'm fine!" Hiro whined, trying to get up. I pushed his head down to make him stay sitting.

"You can barely stand. Just wait, okay?" Hiro huffed and sulked with his arms crossed. Be grumbled quietly. I chuckled and packed up his things.

"Think you can walk?" I asked, smirking as I helped him to his feet.

"Yeah, you don't have to everything for me y'know." Hiro huffed, rolling his eyes. Hiro took an off-balance step before grabbing my arm for support.

"It's like you're learning to walk all over again!" I laughed, remembering Hiro taking his first shaky steps.

"Sh-shut up!" Hiro shoved me, haughtily embarrassed but I just laughed harder at his childishness. He glared at me with is bottom lip protruding in a pout.

"Bird'll poop on your lip with it sticking out that far." I teased Hiro, flicking his lip. Hiro punched me in the arm as I laughed again. He took a few quivering steps before straightening his posture.

"I'm ready to go. " Hiro reached for his bag and sling it over his shoulder. I peaked outside to make sure the coast was clear. I stepped outside, Hiro following closely behind me. I decided to head for the docks to spend the night. It may be a bit cold and breezy, but it was full of hiding places.


	6. chapter 6

With our wonderful luck, we were caught in a down-pour. It wasn't difficult to bear on a full stomach. Still, that didn't stop Hiro from shaking like a leaf. His arms were wrapped tightly around himself as his teeth clattered together. At this rate, we'd both catch our death of a cold. It didn't help that Hiro was still recovering from his injury. He had barely gotten over his fever.

Both of us were soaked to the skin. The rain brought a dull susurrus drone with it. The grey sky poured unforgivingly. Normally on days like these, Hiro and I would stay indoors and practice new fighting techniques. But the situation at hand prevented us from staying in one place longer than one night. We had been lucky the police hadn't found us yesterday.

In the distance, I could see that we were approaching the docks. On a regular day the dock was audible from at least a kilometre away. Seagulls, the drone of waves, the mechanical buzz of ships sauntering in and out of the harbour. But the pounding rain kept me from hearing anything but the sound my feet made when they sloshed into puddles.

"Achoo!" Hiro sneeze behind me. He sniffed and wiped his red nose. A cold wouldn't be helpful to him after a fever. I turned around. His clothes clung to his thin body. I was surprised at how frail Hiro appeared. Small meals had taken a toll on the both of us, but I guessed it had been harder on Hiro because he was still growing.

We had to conserve money because there wasn't any way to replenish it without attracting attention to our location. We could attempt a quiet burglary, but I had never attempted it before. 

Hiro's hair was regularly a mess, but it clung to his face and fell over his tired eyes. Now his hair was just a cold wet mess. I sighed and bent down to let Hiro climb onto my back. He didn't object and let his head fall onto my shoulder. Hiro shivered less now that we were beginning to share a little body beat. The rain continued to pour relentlessly, but we were almost at the dock now.

I began to ponder the way I was raising Hiro again. Surely this lifestyle was not healthy, especially for someone Hiro's age. Sometimes we didn't eat a whole lot when we had to lay low. This prolonged exposure to the cold couldn't be healthy at all. Was I over-exerting my little brother?

Hiro had so much potential, and room to grow in his knowledge. Even I knew that. Part of the reason why they wanted to split Hiro and I up was to send him to a school for gifted children where learning was accelerated. The learning environment was healthy and Hiro would've excelled in the program. He would have thrived, and had many opportunities. But I was selfish, and wanted to keep my little brother to myself. I couldn't bear the thought of them taking Hiro away from me. He was all I had left. So I took him. That was four years ago, but it felt like so much longer.

I was so deep within my reminiscent thoughts I hadn't realized we had reached the docks. The docks had low levels of maintenance. They were the cheaper option to those with low income jobs. I stepped onto a creaky old boat that looked as though it hadn't been touched for years. The wood groaned under my weight as I stepped on it. Hopefully they wouldn't mind if we spent the night here. The lock on the door was rusted and weak. I dumped our bags on the floor and collapsed on a couch. The stuffing inside was clumpy but I was too tired to care.

"Don't forget to brush your teeth Hiro." I mumbled, slipping into sleep. I felt Hiro place a blanket around me before sleep fully took me.

.

I threw a blanket over Tadashi. He was somewhat hypocritical of me, telling me to brush my teeth while he went straight to sleep. But I didn't blame him. He had a lot on his mind. I brushed my teeth and curled up on the floor. It was easy to fall asleep to the sound of waves outside.

.

My eyes opened slowly. I sat up and rubbed them. There was an itch in my feet, a desire to get up. I rose to my feet, shifting my weight from one leg to the other. I needed to get out, but gangs were rampant and dangerous at this hour. I sighed in frustration and looked out the window. I gave into my restlessness and stepped outside. A short stroll should solve my dilemma.

I walked along the sidewalk, my eyes darting from side to side nervously. My walk had so far not solved my restlessness and in fact increased my anxiety. I took deep breaths and calmed down. The gangs were likely deeper inside the city. I exhaled and shivered a little. I began to jog for a while but slowed once fatigue clouded my mind. I turned around to head back. I heard footsteps begin to approach me and realized it wasn't the smartest decision to go out alone, especially at this hour. I had no one to blame but myself. Restless nights drove me outside during the waning hours. They were upon me, and I counted five. At my best I could've held them off until help arrived. But fatigue slowed my movements. Help was nowhere near, not was it coming any time soon. Loose strands if hair impaired my vision as I swung my limbs in precise but not quick enough motions.

My hair needed to be cut badly, but I refused to cut it too short. It grew too fast and needed to be cut regularly, a trifle I often did not have time for.

I was overtaken quickly and easily. I knew better than to make a fuss and humiliate myself further. They dragged me without grace nor compassion through the twisted maze of alleys known as the San Fransokyo slums. Back when I supposed this area had looked decent. But time and poverty dealt its consequences.

I was hurled into a room lacking light and comfort of any kind. Instead of curling into a panicked ball, I felt my way around the room. It was their mistake not to have bound me. The lack of light could work to my advantage, as it would take them longer to realize I was gone. My fingers brushed across what felt to be cloth material. My hands nimbly analyzed the surface. It felt to be a bed, if you could call it that. I reached beneath and patted the floor. Loose earth greeted my dirt-stained hands. I felt around, adding to the grime already residing beneath my nails. Once I was satisfied there was nothing of interest beneath the bed, I wiped my hands on the tattered rags which served as my pants. It didn't do much good to cleanse them, seeing as my pants were probably much filthier any way. My pants had been in much better condition earlier, but being dragged along the ground had ruined them beyond the point of repair.

I combed my hair back. Once my eyes were free of black wisps, I turned to look at the ceiling. My hair must've been more of a barrier than I realized. I had missed the dim light filtering from above. My mind worked fast despite the weariness wearing me down. I propped the crude bed on its side and climbed to the top. The ceiling felt like wooden boards. My fingers pressed against the ones within reach. I searched for a loose board in hope for a means of escape. The poorly constructed building gave me many in my favour. I pushed against the boards, but felt the bed begin to wobble precariously beneath my feet. It gave way, but I hung with determination. Sweat began to trickle down my skin as I pulled myself up. Thankfully there was no one about, but that would change once my absence was discovered. The bed which had clattered down had made a racket. I was sure that would attract attention. I needed to make escape fairly quickly. To add to their confusion, I replaced the wooden boards exactly as I had found them. It would appear as though I had merely disappeared into thin air. It was easy to find an exit in the oddly empty area. I was wary of the unguarded room, sure this was a trap. But no one attempted to attack me, so I pressed on. It was easy to find an escape in the vacant room. The room was cluttered with debris and broken glass. Loose boards were strewn about, with crooked nails poking through. The boards appeared to have come from the walls which were also poorly constructed. I navigated through the cluttered debris and made my way in the direction of the window I had spotted earlier. The wall was full of holes and easy to scale. I pushed the window further open and dropped to the ground. I immediately began running.

Echoed shouts met my ears once I was a good distance away. I figured that they had finally figured out I was missing. I didn't stop running, even when my feet began to ache. My lungs hurt. Jagged sharp pains came with each intake of breath. But I was free. When I could no longer hear their shouts, I slowed to a walk. I may be free, but I was without direction. On my course of escape, I had strayed from familiar paths. Distress filled my tired mind. I couldn't settle for fear they would discover me again. Instead I ran my hands over my arms in an attempt to keep warm. My hear still pounded from my run, but night chills wracked my body. I shivered as my breath came out in puffs of vapour. Eventually my fatigue became a dull ache, the least of my worries.

I came to rest in a dilapidated building, worn down from age. I shut my eyes. When they opened I shut them again, wincing against the bright light. I groaned at the painful ache that filled my body. Hunger gnawed at my stomach. I stretched painfully and lay still a moment before rising. My surroundings were more navigable now that light aided my vision. I began walking at a steady pace with hope I'd pass something familiar. Eventually I ended up at the beach. I surveyed the distant docks. I was quite a ways a way from what was temporarily my home. I jogged lightly across the beach towards the docks, eager to see my older brother again. My disappearance was worrisome and I hoped it hadn't impacted him too negatively. I approached the docks slowly, but steadily.

The scent of salt stung my tongue as I stepped on the damp rotting wood. Praying it wouldn't give way beneath my weight, I proceeded. I stepped on a creaky boat, also known as my makeshift home. The boat had sheltered my brother and I for the past day or so. Due to the recent hostility experienced experienced, we had been moving about more frequently lately. I stepped inside the boat and met my brother's eyes. He rose to his feet.

"Where were you?" He demanded. I could sense the edgy agitation in his voice, indicating he had received little sleep if any at all.

"I ran into a gang." I explained my concerning lack of presence. I knew better than to wander off in the night, especially at a time like this when the police were tracking us. My explanation didn't improve my older brother's grouchy mood. He simply sighed impatiently and crossed his arms while leaning back against the wall.

"Alright Hiro, we're long overdue to move. Come on." Tadashi motioned for me to collect my things.


	7. chapter 7

I gathered what little the two of us owned and stepped outside. My little brother grumbled grudgingly as he followed behind me. I didn't blame him. He was still tired from his run-in with the gang. I was tired too. Worry had kept sleep away from me the previous night. His absence had been troubling and I had every right to be cross with him. But with a bullet wound and the police after us, I decided to let him go without a lecture just this once. However, he had no excuse to be out late alone no matter how restless he had been. Our encounter with the police influenced the surrounding gangs into agitated aggression. Now they could get back at us for the misery we caused them and get paid for it. I didn't blame them at all for wanting to satisfy their spite. We had caused them quite a bit of trouble for two adolescent boys.

At our best, we could travel fairly quickly beneath the cover of darkness without disturbing so much as a leaf. But both of us were worn down and with little rest. We were ill prepared for a surprise attack. The gangs would refrain from attacking during the day, but straying too close to the alleys could result in our demise. The gangs lurked in the alleyways and could easily pull us in. We were stronger than them, but could be easily overwhelmed in our current state.

For the rest of the day we travelled through the heart of the city. As night approached, we moved with cautious tension. I chose an old movie theatre to spend the night. From the looks of it, a flock of bats resided inside. Fortunately it appeared as though they had already left for the night. I dispensed the food we had previously purchased at Safeway.

I stared at the high ceiling, chewing thoughtfully. If we could make it to the other end of the city where our reputation was little known, we could have a shot at restarting. I was too tired to think any further, so I gave into sleep.

I woke up feeling much more rested than I had in the past two days. The ache in my legs from walking all day was receding and dull. Hiro was still asleep, so I practiced a combination of offensive and defensive kicks. Once I was satisfied with the speed of my movements, I sat against the wall and stared at ceiling. I did that a lot.

Hiro sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He was in the middle of a yawn when I yanked him up to his feet. He yelped in surprise. I barely waited a moment before beginning to throw punches at him.

He was in a bit of a panicked state, messily blocking my hits. Hiro blocks were sluggish and only a few of his hits had made their mark. Hiro's blocks began to become more precise as he woke up. Now that he was awake, Hiro held the advantage of speed. Hiro dodged more than blocked. He was deflecting my hits and landing more. Our arms and legs became a blurred frenzy. Thanks to the advantage of height, I towered over him. I backed Hiro into a corner but he struck back, steadily moving away from the restricting corner. Hiro's strategy consisted of knocking me off balance then pushing me over. I had known him for too long for his moves to be unpredictable.

Hiro's hits were hitting harder, and I took notice of his increased strength. I realized my little brother had a new strategy. This strategy included tiring me out with controlled hits, then increasing the strength of his hits to know me off balance. My lack of energy would make me less likely to keep my balance after sustaining a particularly hard hit.

My focus was thrown off by my realization of my little brother's new strategy. With a hard hit to the side of my knee, I was knocked off balance. We were both panting and sweaty. Hiro collapsed beside me.

"I need.... Some water... And a haircut." Hiro wheezed. I chuckled. Hiro's hair was getting long. I tossed him a water bottle and took out my switchblade. I lay it on my thigh as I took a swig of water.

"Alright, come ere'." I grunted as I switched to a kneeling position. Hiro scooched over. I took hold of his black hair and tried to give it a decent-looking cut.

I surveyed my work. Just a bit uneven on the left side. I trimmed a piece off to even it out. It looked sloppy, but Hiro's hair always looked like that. I couldn't recall a time Hiro's hair ever looked flat and neat. His hair was still a shaggy mess, but at least it didn't fall over his eyes anymore.

"We should move. The police will be on our case soon." I said, standing to my feet. I took another swig of water and grabbed my bag. I shoved my belongings strewn about the ground inside. I slung my bag over my shoulders and waited for Hiro to finish up packing. We left quietly.

The fog was particularly thick this morning. Our breath came out in puffs of vapour. I didn't mind the chilly morning, but Hiro did, even if he didn't mention it. He shivered as I thought over where to pick up some new clothes. These ones were getting a bit ratty anyways. I could do with a wash too. Hiro was filthy, and needed a bath more than I did.

We walked along the outskirts of San Fransokyo. I stopped by a thrift store to buy some new clothes. It was big enough to have a public washroom, so I headed there first. Hiro sneezed as I let my bag drop to the floor.

"You wash first." I insisted. Hiro bit back a complaint and leaned onto the counter as I got the water to a pleasant temperature. I squeezed some soap on to my hands and lathered it over his hair. Just because we were homeless didn't mean we had to look gross and greasy. Once Hiro was rinsed off I washed my own hair. After finishing both of us, I pulled out out dirty clothes.

"You go look for a sweater or something. Pick up some blankets too." I told Hiro as I scrubbed at the mud on my sweater. Hiro isn't say anything but I heard the door squeak shut. Hiro returned some time later with two blankets and a light grey sweater.

"Couldn't you have picked something darker? People'll be able to see you from a mile away in that at night." I complained. He pulled out a darker sweater from beneath. I mouthed an o in understanding.

"This one's warm." Hiro explained, gesturing to the lighter grey sweater.

"Do we need anything else?" I asked. Hiro shook his head. We walked out of the washroom and payed for the clothes.

Hiro and I walked farther into the city and came to rest in a slum not too far away from one we had previously resided. Hiro collapsed and fell asleep immediately. I was tired too, but not as much as Hiro. I guessed Hiro's body was working harder than mine because it was growing and recovering from his fever and injury. I lay down and shut my eyes. I needed to sleep if I wanted the energy to move through the city.


End file.
